The Return of Anonymous Sex In NYC
By Keith Boykin
Tuesday, August 16 2005, 11:52AM
Troy Notorious reports on his blog that the legendary (some some infamous) Mt. Morris Bathhouse will reopen soon in Harlem. The bathhouse, located at 125th and Madison, was closed down a few years ago after the New York Times profiled the place back in January 2003.
Meanwhile, the New York Daily News reports that the Fordham Road subway station in the Bronx has become a popular spot for gay sexual encounters. In case you want to check it out for yourself, the Daily News even reports the location: "The cruising area is at the northern end of the long southbound platform." On the D line. Reporter Pete Donohue went undercover to get the story, but he seems to enjoy the assignment a little too much. "The News went to the Bronx station on a steamy summer night. In 90 minutes, we witnessed one lewd act - and were propositioned twice," he writes. Later he goes into detail to explain an encounter with a 40-year-old Hispanic man.
The most unusual part of the News story was this line: "Transit officials could not recall another example of the subways being used for sex." Huh? Evidently, they did not read my true story about sex in the subways, which was published two years ago this week.
Comments conceal
Maraboudoktorn
August 16 2005, 2:30PM
As a 23 year old man who frequented bathhouses in my experimental years (19-22). I stopped going. Why? It's cheap, it didn't fulfill my needs as a human being. And I got crabs from it. Not from a bathhouse, but from cruising in general. I got crabs from rubbing another guy in a sauna at a popular city gym.
I hope Mt. Morris gets closed again. We as gays seriously need to find healthier, less dangerous ways to socialize.
Bathhouses work against us as people. Young people PLEASE stay away from bathhouses, everything you heard about them is true. They are disease warehouses. Learn from my story, don't make the same mistake. Isn't the AIDS epidemic enough proof?
Great site to check out on baths: http://members.aol.com/sigothinc/bathvis.htm
Bernie
August 16 2005, 3:00PM
The Daily News article is another example of the mainstream news media being about 10 years behind the times. And Transit officials claim they've never heard of such a thing??? I always knew they slept on the job.
But the News article also erroneously perpetuates the belief that only gay people are at risk for HIV/AIDS, by juxtaposing this story about public sex with health statistics, even after they referenced an earlier act that involved heterosexuals.
Troy
August 16 2005, 3:42PM
But hold up a minute Maraboudoktorn and others on the down side of the bath house ideaology; should you stop drinking tea because it is said you can drown in a mere cup of it? I think a better word or wording would be choices and just how far should one go if limits were placed on so-called total freedoms.
Can I or should I tell you or others how to catch a groove or is it up to THAT individual...It aint the Four Seasons but bath houses are where they are for a number of reasons...
But I do have to agree with you except I wonder if all those spots closed and it turned into a true police state, what then??
(Thanks Keith Boykin for the shout out)
Bernard Bradshaw
August 16 2005, 3:55PM
Its about time that sex returns to the city. After the two decade sex panic that NYC has been living through, I am happy to see that bathhouses and public sex hang-outs are cropping back up. We need more of them.
Bathhouses can be great places to educate individuals about safer sex. And realistically, I'd rather have people going into a bathhouse where they can wash their bodies and have access to soap and water as opposed to fucking in the parks--where it's dirty and you can end up facing all sorts of violence.
Hurray for the re-opening of the bathhouse!
Bernard Bradshaw
Sex and the Second City.COM
DB
August 16 2005, 4:16PM
Interesting thoughts here. I've never frequented the bathouses, not that they haven't peeked my interest. However, I do HOPE that they are educating and NOT just providing a place to get your freak on! Though, I'm sure some will do whatever they want anyway. If you reach one person, you've accomplished something and saved one life.
Guess Who??
August 16 2005, 4:48PM
Wow....that's all I could say about this!
Antwoine Williams
August 16 2005, 6:38PM
Come on people! Bath houses? Subway stations? This is not a matter of sexuality. I would be disgusted if it was heterosexuals or any one. It is about "love", "respect" and the treatment and dignity and honor of ones body, mind and soul!
Sex is just as spiritual as it is any thing else! This news sadden me, to think that bath houses and public sex is "crippin" to an all time high, although it's never ended, I hate to see it being "magnified", "puffed up", "marketed" and "exploited". It should be on the hush, hush as my Grandmother would say. It definitely shouldn't be anything some one should feel "proud" about as if it is the best thing on their "resume".
Let's go higher as a community, not lower or rather "low down!"
Peace!
cmoney
August 16 2005, 9:49PM
When straights stop having sex outdoors (ever been to Mardi Gras?), then and only then can we condemn gays for doing the same as if it is something only gay people do. When the AIDS epidemic first hit in the early 80's, bathhouses were shut down by homophobes in NYC, Washington and even in San Francisco. Interestingly, the "straight" strip clubs remained open in many places and served as fronts for prostitution. Has the rate of HIV declined in either city? Hell no! In fact, it is higher in DC than just about anywhere else outside of South Africa. Bath houses don't spread AIDS, unsafe sex does. Shutting them down certainly has not stopped anyone from fucking. I say open up some more so that gays can have a safer environment to do the do. Of course, sex in the subway gives new meaning to the term "Metrosexual" :-)
maurice
August 16 2005, 10:05PM
There is hope for the world in this post gay era!!
jaymillionaire
August 17 2005, 3:36AM
You think the Subway in NYC is something. Keith, you need to take a little job through Centinela Park in Inglewood, Calif. (LA). Some of the finest brothas are gettin it crackin in the park.
Plus, its a great park for a walk --nice scenery.
Maraboudoktorn
August 17 2005, 4:00PM
To all the advocates of bathouses, I just have to say that whatever you do: It's on you. Personally, when I talk to people my age and younger, I advise them against going to bathhouses to socialize.
What you do with your dick is your business, but the primary reason I went to bathhouses as a college aged youth was out of curiousity and boredom. I was horny, too, but it was mainly insecurity and frustration with not having a man that made me frequent those places.
After going to these places several times, not meeting people my own age, having old, unattractive, smelly men with sagging skin constantly chasing me in towels and unwarrantly touching my body -- it got to me. After the sex, I was still empty.
Over those years, I constantly got the "why are you here" vibe from the clientele. One time I was in my towel sitting in a room watching TV, a guy just flat out said, "You don't need to be here. You're young. Why are YOU here?" I didn't have an answer. I just shrugged my shoulders. "You're too beautiful to be here."
My wake up call came when I contracted an STD: Crabs. Sure, it's not like HIV, it's curable and it goes away with several applications of shampoo, but to know I had little organisms crawling on my pubic hair from regrettable, emotionless, empty, anonymous sex... it changed me. Experimentation is fine, but knowledge is great, too. Just know what you're getting into and know the risks. Especially to those under 21. Some guys just want you to go to the bathhouse so it curves the number of trolls (that overwhelm these places!) Know the ledge!